


Camelot's New Arrival

by MollyTheFangirl



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Feels, Fluff and Angst, Injury
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-20 20:30:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6023605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MollyTheFangirl/pseuds/MollyTheFangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fern is alone since her Father hasn't been seen after Cenred's men attacked her village when she was 12. She's now 16 and dreams of living in Camelot and after her abusive Mother casts her out, she has the chance. After an injury whilst running away from her village, 2 knights find her and bring her back to Camelot, there she finds more than new life in the castle. Full of adventure and magic, follow Fern as she battles with her uncontrollable magic, love and finding family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Escape

Fern sighed loudly as she lulled a overflowing basket of laundry back to her Mother’s house, the pile still wet from the river water. She hadn’t been able to get all of the dirt off of the dishevelled rags, her Mother would be so angry. Fern lived in a small, barren village on the outskirts of the great city of Camelot. Many times she had caught herself day dreaming about the magnificent palace and cheerful homes. Not like her’s at any rate. To be honest, it was boring - and scary. After her previous village had been ransacked and destroyed by Cenred’s men her Mother had dragged her to the safety of Camelot’s lands at the request of her Father. She had not heard of him since that fateful day when she was 12. She was now 16 and getting nowhere in life, Fern was sure her Mother would have left her if it wasn't for her Father’s last desperate cries. It was horrible to watch. She shuddered at the memory.Someday I’ll make a good life for myself and leave this wretched place and maybe even find my Father she thought to herself. Fern was so encased in her thoughts of the future that she failed to see a protruding tree root ready to send her flying. She felt her body lurch forward and she hastily muttered a spell and she stopped mid-air, saving herself from injury. Her orange orbs went back to heir usual emerald colour, her magic was strong. Fern looked down in horror at the sight of the muddy clothes that laid scattered like leaves across the forest floor. “This can’t be fixed! Mother will know!” She cried. Her Mother hated her use of magic but she was the only one who knew in the village. It was too late to go back and wash them again, her Mother would definitely make her pay for this. She gulped and quickly peeled them away from the floor and hurried home through the twilight. 

“And what time do you call this Fern?” her Mother screamed into her face,  
“I apologise Mother, i dropped them in the woods and -..” She was cut off mid sentence as her Mother struck her round the face.  
“I don’t care for anymore of your petty excuses Fern, I should have left you that day our village was destroyed!” Fern gulped and visibly shook in fear as her Mother threw blow after blow upon her.  
“Get away from me you witch!” She screamed as she felt blood trickling down her brow and tenderly pressed a finger to her split lip.  
“GET OUT! LEAVE THIS PLACE, I’LL HAVE NOTHING MORE TO DO WITH YOU GIRL!” She hurled the words in Fern’s direction as she jumped up and fled for the door, her vision swaying and unfocused. Fern grabbed for her horse, Bradley as she mounted the grey steed and rode for the hills, feeling blood run down her scared-white face as she took off into the night. She knew exactly where to go. Camelot was in her sights,  
“Come on.. Brad.. come on.” She whispered as darkness flooded her vision and she toppled off, landing hard on the ground, splitting her head open rocks that lay on the floor. Moonlight poured down from the sky but did nothing to awaken Fern as she drifted into unconscious, leaving all her fears behind. For now. 

 

“Halt!” a panicked voice penetrated the morning air with worry. Sir Leon and Sir Gwaine had been riding through the forest, on their usual patrol when they came across Fern, out cold in the bushes. Gwaine had spotted a horse trotting up and down the road without a rider and knew something must have happened. They both dismounted and hurried to the girl, their red capes floating in the chilled wind of the morning air.  
“Hey, sweet heart, can you hear me?” Gwaine tried as Leon turned Fern over. He placed a gloved hand to her brow and fixed Leon with a fearful glance.  
“We have to get her back to Gaius, what’s she even doing out here?” He queried.  
“I’m not sure, but she seems familiar some how…” Leon trailed off as Gwaine picked up her limp form, Fern didn’t stir from her sleep. She winced when she was placed on Gwaine's black steed.  
“Sorry lovely.” He smiled sympathetically and pulled out the reins as him and Leon walked back to Camelot.


	2. Lost and found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fern finally makes it to Camelot, he dream has come true. However could a meeting with a person from the past reveal her identity and give more clues to where her Father went all those years ago?

Thud, thud, thud. The rhythmic and droning beat filled Fern’s ears and alerted her senses to consciousness. A pained groan escaped her chapped lips and she shifted awkwardly on what seemed to be… a horses shoulder? No the couldn’t be right. Fern’s weary eyes peeled back slightly, cracked open and quickly shut due to the harsh moonlight. The smell of fur and leather filled her senses as she naturally tried to move her aching limbs, all this blood rushing to her head was making her dizzy… or maybe that was a gash that spread along her head. Fern wriggled and a soft hand laid down on her shoulders. She reflexively flinched which made a worried expression drift across Gwaine’s face.

“Mnnerr…” whimpered Fern, her senses still groggy from the fall. 

“Hey easy girl, it’s okay we’re nearly at Camelot.” Gwaine laid a tentative hand on Fern’s shoulder but she instantly shuddered, Leon noticed too and locked the other knight with a saddened expression. There was clearly more to this girl than they thought. 

The gates of Camelot were open, a sanctuary to all those in need. Fire illuminated the courtyard with a flickering glow as the party hastily trotted along the cobbled pathway. They quickly dismounted and Leon collected Fern from Gwaine's steed.

“Ah, Sir Leon, Sir Gwaine! I was wondering when you’d be b-.” Arthur’s sentence was cut short as he saw the knights approach with Leon carrying a shivering body wrapped in his red crested cape and Gwaine with a unfamiliar grey steed in tow. 

“We found her in the woods Sire, we thought it best to bring her back to Gaius as she is wounded, she only looks about 16 years of age - we couldn't leave her to the wolves.” explained Leon as he carefully manoeuvred up the steps. 

“Of course,” started Arthur, “Notify me of her condition and make it known to her that she may stay here in the safety of Camelot’s walls as long as she needs.” He commented as the 2 knights hurried to Gaius’s chambers. Where had he seen that girl before he asked himself as he handed the reins of Bradley to a stable hand. 

“Merlin? Gaius?” Gwaine pounded on the old wooden door that led to the physicians magical room. 

“Mnnerr.. what is it?” Merlin called sleepily as he reached for the handle,  
“Gwaine, i swear if you are drunk again… i’m not paying any more of your tavern bills!” Merlin exclaimed and Leon threw a questioning look at the chuckling knight. 

The door swung open and the laughter ceased as Merlin gazed upon the girl, her auburn hair falling delicately around her shoulders and her face was void of emotion as Merlin noted the blood that was trickling down her face, leaving harrowing opaque lines. 

“What is it?” Gaius queried from behind Merlin,  
“Oh, you better come on in.” The knights hurriedly pushed past as Merlin guided them over to a wooden table where the mystery girl was softly placed down. Gaius however was looking slightly shell shocked as he hurriedly shut the door with a satisfying click. 

“Fern.” he said aloud.   
“What is she doing here?” he gaped.


	3. Secrets revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How does Gaius know this girl and will a singular conversation reveal secrets that Fern has waited for her whole life?

Come again?” Gwaine asked Gaius with a look of confusion,

“Fern…” he breathed as he gazed upon the sleeping girl.

“You know this lass?” Leon enquired and quickly side stepped out the way of Merlin who was hurrying around with bandages and herbs.

“I do, I do indeed.” Gaius smiled sadly as he peered over at Merlin who was busy dabbing at the oozing gash on Fern’s head. 

“Tell us what you know.” Gwaine said suddenly as they all stood around Fern who was shifting uncomfortably on the table, Merlin placed a cool hand on her head to steady her and looked at Gaius with a questioning expression. 

Gaius’s words filled the chambers as light drifted slowly through the windows, shining upon Fern as she slowly rose from unconsciousness, swimming through the blackness that clouded her mind. She panicked as she awoke, hearing male voices surrounding her and she cracked her eyelids slowly open as not to alert the people around by her. In her blurred vision she took in the unfamiliar surroundings. It was clear the men had been speaking long into the night as he heard a hoarse man speaking quietly and solemnly. Must be pretty secretive she thought to herself. Fern’s curiosity got the better of her and she strained to listen in to their conversation, mainly to make sure they weren't speaking of harming her. 

“…. So her Mother Eloisa worked as a maid for the King for many years, but after she was suspected of having magic, Uther banished her from Camelot. Out of remorse, as she was pregnant I gifted her a few supplies which would help her on her journey. Her husband couldn't bear to leave Camelot and his position so he stayed…” Gaius was interrupted by Gwaine,

Fern’s blood ran cold as she recognised her Mother’s name.

“So the bastard left her and the child?” he commented bitterly,

“Well, as i was saying Gwaine, he sent them what he could as he earned a lot from his service to the King, when Eloisa asked me for advice I told her to tell Fern the truth because… well because… the likelihood was that Fern would acquire her magic too. The Father disowned them after finding out and Eloisa became cruel, often beating Fern…” he sighed

“That would explain the flinching… She has magic though, shouldn't we tell someone?” Gwaine interupted again.

“She could never tell Fern the truth so she made up a story about him dying in an attack by Cenred’s men, God knows where the she is now if Fern’s here. And no, we won’t. I swore an oath to protect that girl and I've failed part of it, no one must know.” Gaius clarified. 

Fern held back a cry as she laid there, trying to not to move as she felt herself shake with anger and dejection. The emotional pain she felt in that moment made her cut on her head feel like a pinprick. She desperately wanted to open her eyes and run, run away as fast as her legs would carry her and cry. She clenched her fists and she refused to let her tears fall. She was stronger than this, why she had lived without her Father for her whole life, what had changed? A swift knock on the door broke the pitiful silence as Arthur thrust his head round the door.

“We’ve got training.” he reminded them and the knights rose as they made a move to follow the King.

“And we must start our rounds Merlin, Fern we’ll be fine for a few hours. She’ll sleep.” Gaius stood and the four of them walked for the door. Arthur had already left, making his way to the training field. Gwaine looked exacerbated as he felt felt an unusual protectiveness for the girl he had found in the forest. 

“What was the name of the Father?’ Gwaine managed, stumbling on the words at the tender subject.

Gaius looked from Merlin to Leon and finally locked Gwaine’s eyes.

“Percival.” he whispered.

In the background Fern’s eyes shot open.


End file.
